Us (2019)

I was very looking forward to seeing Us —you can say it was one of my most anticipated films of 2019— and the very positive ratings I kept seeing on my Letterboxd homepage —I avoided reviews because of spoilers— only made me even more hyped about it. And because of it, a part of me was afraid Peele's latest film would let me down. Thankfully, it did not. It still has many flaws but I loved it nevertheless.

The film follows Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'O) who, accompanied by her husband, Gabe (Winston Duke), and two kids, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), returns to the beachfront home where she grew up. It's not easy to be there for her as it brings back memories of her childhood, specifically of the traumatic incident she experienced when she wandered away from her parents and entered a funhouse on the beach. While trying to relax and have fun with her family, Adelaide can't quite shake off the feeling that something bad is going to happen. Her worst fear becomes a reality when four masked individuals break into her house in the middle of the night.

Story-wise, Us didn't really convince me. While I loved the idea, its execution is pretty flawed and, as a result, the story feels disjointed, and has its fair amount of plot holes which only raises more questions than it cares to answer —since everyone has doppelgängers living in tunnels right beneath them, what would happen if a person simply moved or went of vacation outside of the US? In other words, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Despite this, I still found it to be engaging and very interesting, and the twist, which leaves you with even more questions —I liked the fact that Peele didn't bother to answer these though—, managed to surprise me despite the fact that there were all the signs pointing that way all along and that, at some point, I thought that twist would eventually come.

It doesn't really matter though how flawed it is because it's not the plot itself that stands out, but the themes and meaning "hidden" in it. Us is indeed a commentary about classism and social privilege, about oppression and marginalisation, about unjust suffering and unearned privilege. It is about the United States and their xenophobia as it felt to me that the ultimate meaning of Us is that Americans see outsiders —and foreigners— as a threat as if their ultimate goal was to take over and take away what's always been theirs. It's a film that forces us to reconsider who the real monsters are.

Universal Pictures

The film's greatest strength, however, is Lupita Nyong'o dual performance as Adelaide and Red. While both characters don't really go beyond the typical horror heroine and the typical horror villain, her performances bring so much dimension and depth to both. It's in the role of Red that Nyong'o is at her best though as she gives an intense, truly terrifying performance made of uncanny movements and raspy voice. As for the supporting cast, Winston Duke does well as Adelaide's chilled-out husband and works as comic relief, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex both give good performances as the kids, and Elisabeth Moss, who is barely in the film, is phenomenal as the Wilsons friend, Kitty.

As for the horror, Us successfully delivers it. While very little violence happens up close, the film is quite terrifying —there is nothing that will make you jump out of your seat, but there are plenty of moments of terror. The cinematography really helps in that —not only it's stunning, but it gives that eerie feeling that someone or something is always watching. In addition, the Tethered costumes are great as they are simple and yet beautiful and terrifying, and the score and songs are used incredibly well. There's also plenty of pop culture references and easter eggs, my favourite being the A Clockwork Orange style murder scene —the inappropriate song playing when the Tethered kills Kitty— and the visual parallel to Get Out —Zora flinging Umbrae off the car into the woods, which results in Adelaide going to see her die, and Chris getting out of the car after hitting the deer and going into the woods to see it die.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

I don't know the reason —it was probably on some list somewhere, probably on BuzzFeed— but many years ago I decided to check out Girl, Interrupted, and I ended up loving it. It's been ten years since then so I figured it was time to rewatch it.

Based on Susanna Kaysen's memoir —which I've been meaning to read for years but still is on my to-read list— the story follows Susanna Kaysen (Winona Ryder), a neurotic and volatile 18-year-old who is admitted to a mental institution after she attempts to commit suicide. In the confined borders of the institution, Susanna befriends the other troubled girls in her ward, including the seductive, manipulative and dangerous Lisa (Angelina Jolie).

The kind that doesn't really have a beginning, a middle or an end, Girl, Interrupted's story is really nothing new, it's often predictable and clichéd, and the pacing is quite slow, and yet it's compelling and really draws you in as Susanna's story unfolds before your eyes. It's a story that deals with mental illness and, while its portrayal is quite simplistic —this is a mainstream movie from the 1990s after all—, it does provide an insight on the subject in a respectful way without being melodramatic or overly sentimental. It's also an honest portrayal of friendship and makes a commentary, although pretty superficial, on the Vietnam War.

It's the character though that really stuck with me about Girl, Interrupted as Susanna Kaysen is the first character I've seen in a movie to whom I could relate and still can relate. She is a victim of great expectations, confusion and uncertain future, someone who is trying to understand the meaning of life and find a place where to fit in. She doesn't really understand her condition and this angers her. Winona Ryder does a wonderful job in the role as she effortlessly carries the movie and delivers the character's pain in such a way that you feel sorry for her.

Columbia Pictures

The supporting characters are quite the stereotypes —there's the pathological liar (Clea DuVall), a teenager with the intellect of a child (Elizabeth Moss), a ballerina with an eating disorder (Angela Bettis), a sexually abused young woman who cuts herself and has OCD, a psychotic bitch (Angelina Jolie)— and most of them don't have much of an arc, and yet they are interesting as the cast give great performances, the standout being Angelina Jolie whose portrayal of Lisa earned her an Oscar. She is charming and menacing at the same time, friendly and aggressive, and really brings you inside the head of a sociopath.

The cinematography is nothing extraordinary but it's very natural and helps to draw you into Susanna's world. The score is lovely and the songs are great. Sure, this is not a perfect movie as the script has many flaws, but overall director James Mangold crafted an interesting, tender and non-judgemental film.

The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

I haven't seen enough of his films to consider Robert Redford as one of my favourite actors, but I really like him. So of course I had to see The Old Man & the Gun, a heist movie starring Redford in his alleged last performance before retirement. 

The film tells the true but fictionalized story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) and follows him after his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 as he continues robbing banks with the help of two other old men, Teddy Green (Danny Glover), and Waller (Tom Waits), falls in love with Jewel (Sissy Spacek), and is pursued by rookie detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck).

The biggest issue I had with The Old Man & the Gun was the plot. It is simply too thin —nearly non-existent, to be honest— to support the running time, hence the film is filled with unnecessary things such as John Hunt's life subplot —it is only distracting. Frankly, I don't understand the need to give Hunt a family since he wasn't married nor had kids, while in the film he is in an interracial marriage. The "issue" isn't even addressed so I don't really get the point— and scenes that add nothing and ends up being tedious and unengaging. It does, however, work as some sort of meditation on life and what it means to find joy in the small things, and I think it's the kind of story that makes for a fitting farewell.

The characters are a little disappointing too. Without much of a plot, the film needed solid characters but unfortunately, they are nearly as shallow as the plot. Most have a nice characterization and development, but the relationships between them aren't developed very well and because of it, they don't feel genuine. The romance between Tucker and Jewel being the only exception because Redford and Spacek have amazing chemistry.

Fox Searchlight Pictures

The acting arguably is the best bit of The Old Man & the Gun. Robert Redford gives yet another charming performance as he brings to the screen another likeable character. Sissy Spacek steals the show as Jewel, giving a very charismatic and moving performance. Danny Glover and Tom Waits do a nice job as Tucker's partners. Elisabeth Moss, who makes a short appearance as Tucker's daughter, also does a good job. The only false note is Casey Affleck who is basically playing himself and mumbling his way through the movie —if it wasn't for the subtitles, I would have missed most of the stuff that came out of his mouth.

Overall, The Old Man & the Gun was quite disappointing. While the ending is wonderful and the acting more than solid, the story is just too slow and dull. Definitely not the farewell an actor such as Robert Redford deserves.